How tour operators can keep guests' attention
Tourists arrive for experiences, but after a short excursion or check-in they often lose interest: free time is filled chaotically, guests get bored and leave before they have a chance to spend on additional services.
The operator loses not only positive reviews, but also real revenue — from cafes and souvenirs to paid activities and repeat bookings.
The solution is tour gamification. Built-in game attractions and quests turn waiting into entertainment and a standard program into an engaging scenario: guests follow a route, complete tasks, take photos, and share emotions on social media.
This is what keeps tourists' attention, increases dwell time, and encourages them to try more services.
We design game formats for tour operators' goals: from mobile quests to interactive zones at locations.
They easily integrate into an existing product, require no special skills from guests, and bring you extra revenue — through paid missions, partner offers, and a higher average order value.
Tourist engagement becomes manageable: you see which scenarios work and reinforce the most profitable ones.
As a result, guests don't get bored — they play, come back, and recommend you to friends. We cover the need for attention retention and monetization of free time — all that's left is to choose the game format for your tour.
What benefits gamification of a tour product brings
Travelers choose a destination by heart, but at the same time they compare dozens of offers and easily switch to competitors.
Gamifying a tour product holds attention from the very first seconds: a "where to go" test, a country quiz, or an interactive route turns a boring catalog into an exciting journey.
This approach builds loyalty even before the first purchase and creates an emotional connection with the brand.
When a client has already booked a tour, game mechanics keep working: points for reviews, in-trip activities, or bonuses for excursions increase the average order value and trigger repeat inquiries.
Interested tourists are more willing to buy additional services and recommend the operator to friends.
The key advantage of game formats is organic reach on social media. Users share test results, photos of adventure maps, and stories on social platforms, so every participation brings several brand mentions. This boosts brand recognition and expands the audience without additional advertising spend.
Gamification also solves the lead generation challenge. To join the game, a client leaves contacts or links a profile — and we get a database of interested travelers. This data allows for more precise email campaigns and personalized offers, increasing sales conversion.
Thus, game mechanics deliver several measurable benefits to a tour operator at once: increased loyalty, brand recognition, a higher average order value, and a steady stream of leads.
Gamification is not entertainment; it's a working marketing tool that strengthens the entire sales funnel.
Formats of game solutions for tour operators
Every tourism product is unique: some need a quick way to show a route, others need to occupy a group for a whole day. That's why we choose the game format based on your goal — from short interactive quests to virtual tours.
We develop on the professional Unity game engine, so the game runs equally stably on tourists' smartphones and on screens in hotel lobbies. Projects are handled by the truetech.by team.
The table below shows typical scenarios for tour operators. The formats are flexible: we adjust the mechanics to your audience.
| Format | Who it's for | What the client gets |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive quest | Individual tourists and groups | Turns a walk into a game: guests explore locations on their own and share photos on social media |
| Virtual tour | Undecided tourists, corporate clients | Shows the hotel before booking — fewer cancellations, more inquiries |
| Simulator | Active tourism operators | Lets guests safely try extreme activities, boosting tour sales afterward |
| Quest room | Families, schoolchildren, team-building events | Fills pauses, keeps groups engaged, and increases the average order value |
Format selection starts with a brief: we look at where clients drop off — on the website, during an excursion, or at the point of sale — and design the mechanics accordingly.
In the end, you get a game, staff instructions, and a dashboard showing how many people completed the scenario and what they liked. This helps improve the program and bring guests back again.
How turnkey game development works
Turnkey game development is a clear route from idea to a finished tool that works for your marketing. We've completed dozens of projects and developed a scheme that eliminates surprises and unnecessary spending. Below are six stages your project goes through.
- Brief and task analysis. We discuss goals, audience, format, and timelines. You get a clear understanding of the scope and result.
- Concept and project plan. We create game mechanics, a scenario, and a visual style tailored to your tour product. We approve the plan, budget, and calendar — you always know what's happening.
- Prototype and sign-off. We build a working version to test the core mechanic. You make edits before full production, not after.
- Development and content production. We create levels, graphics, texts, and integrate branding in parallel. We regularly send builds and reports — you stay in control without digging into details.
- Testing and polish. We test the game on different devices and scenarios and fix any issues. The result is a stable version with no rough edges.
- Launch and technical support. We help with publishing, set up analytics, and provide usage recommendations. We stay in touch afterward: updating content, adding features, and monitoring stability.
Every stage ends with a clear deliverable and sign-off — you don't lose control and know exactly what you're paying for. In the end, you get a game that strengthens the tour operator's image and brings in new clients, while we handle all the technical side.
What's included in the game product package
You receive not just a game, but a ready-made tool for a tourism business — everything needed for the product to reach your clients and start working for brand recognition and sales.
We provide a complete delivery package, so you don't need to buy anything extra, negotiate with third-party contractors, or deal with technical details. All you have to do is launch the game and use it in your marketing activities.
The delivery package includes:
- Ready-made game product — the final version of the game for your format: an interactive quest, a virtual tour, or an educational mechanic for tourists. It works on the equipment and in the scenarios you chose.
- Employee training — we run a short hands-on workshop for your team: how to launch the game, manage scenarios, change content, and add current offers. You won't need to hire a developer or programmer.
- Game source code — you get full access to the code and become the rightful owner of the product. You can develop the game with us or with any other contractor — without restrictions.
- Documentation — clear instructions for installation, setup, and operation in Russian. Every step is described in simple language, so even an unprepared employee can get the hang of it in a day.
- Launch materials — ready-made texts and tips for integrating the game into your website, social media, and email campaigns. The game mechanics fit into your sales funnel from day one.
- Post-launch support — we stay in touch and help with updates, refinements, and technical issues. If you need to expand the mechanics for a new season or destination, you know who to contact.
This approach removes your dependence on a specific developer and the risk of a "dead" product with no one to maintain it.
The game becomes a full-fledged company asset: you control it, manage it, and use it in exactly the scenarios that bring new clients to your business.
Before launch, we agree on the package composition based on your tasks — and you get exactly the set your marketing and sales team needs.
Case: how we doubled a travel agency's revenue with a game
Tour operators operate in fierce competition: clients compare prices, browse websites, and quickly leave if they don't see a difference. We helped one agency stand out — we launched a themed game that turns an ordinary visit into an engaging journey.
For the client — let's call it Мир маршрутов — we developed a game project on Unity: a visitor collects a "suitcase" of locations, answers questions about destinations, and receives a personal discount. The goal wasn't just to entertain, but to encourage choosing a tour on the spot.
Numbers that speak for themselves
A month after launch, the agency's average order value grew by 54%. The time visitors spent in the office doubled — from 15 to 30 minutes. During that time, the manager not only showed the catalog but also discussed trip details.
Gamification acted as a bridge between emotion and purchase. People didn't just flip through brochures — they tried on the role of a traveler and accepted offers more readily.
What this means for your business
Such a project pays off not only through direct sales: game participants left contacts, and repeat inquiries grew by almost a third. The game format became a separate reason to visit the office — clients brought friends and family.
We still support and update this game, and the client adds new mechanics for seasonal promotions. This confirms that the game works not as a one-off trick, but as a long-term growth tool.
How to choose a gamification format for your task?
The main thing is not "which format is trendy," but what task the business is facing.
One tour operator needs to increase bookings, another needs to collect a contact base at an exhibition, and a third needs to turn an excursion into a memorable event that guests will talk about on social media.
Everything depends on this: from the type of mechanic to how long guests stay engaged and share impressions.
The second step is to understand your audience. Families with children are a good fit for short quests where a child gets a reward at the end of the route, while for business groups, interactive competition with a leaderboard works better.
If travelers are of different ages and experience levels, the format must be intuitive from the first screen — without long instructions or additional training.
The third criterion is budget and timeline. You can put together a simple mechanic in a couple of weeks, or create a large-scale game story with multiple scenarios, branded elements, and integration with your routes.
We don't "push" expensive options: we honestly show which format will give the maximum return for your investment, and what it's reasonable to skip to avoid overpaying for unnecessary features.
That's why the key step is a consultation, where we analyze your situation and offer two or three suitable formats with an estimate of effort and results. You don't risk your budget; you rely on real experience from dozens of projects in the tourism sector.
We also take into account seasonality, tour geography, and the specifics of your client base — everything that directly affects engagement but often remains overlooked in a standard approach.
To get this kind of analysis, just send a description of your task with your target audience and desired timeline. In response, we'll prepare individual recommendations and show how gamification will work specifically for your result — from brand recognition to repeat inquiries.
We answer common client concerns
Before launching a non-standard format, there are always doubts: what if guests don't like the game, what if bugs appear, what if the budget isn't justified.
That's natural — so we spell out clear terms in the contract in advance, take on technical support, and stay in touch after launch.
What if tourists don't like the game?
We make a game for your route, not "just a game." Before launch, we test it on a focus group of your typical guests and make changes. If engagement is weak after launch, we adjust the scenario without additional payment.
Who is responsible for breakdowns and failures?
We provide post-launch support: monitor performance, update for new devices, and fix errors. The contract states response times and areas of responsibility — you're never left alone with technical issues.
Will there be hidden costs?
The estimate is set at the start and includes all work: scenario, graphics, programming, testing, and launch. Any additional tasks are only with your approval — no surprise charges.
When will the game pay off?
The game boosts tourist loyalty and provides reach through photos and reviews on social media. For tour operators, payback usually arrives in the first season with good route attendance — we make an accurate calculation before launch based on your statistics.
Leave a request — get a game estimate in 1 day
Games for tourists are a way to stand out among dozens of similar offers and keep a guest's attention. But before making a decision, it's important to understand: how much it will cost, how quickly we'll see results, and when we can start. Delay costs you reach — competitors may already be launching a similar activation.
We'll prepare a personal estimate for you within one business day. You send a brief, and we analyze the task and come back with clear figures and timelines. You'll receive:
- a transparent development cost tailored to your task and scale;
- realistic timelines — from start to game release;
- work stages with intermediate results;
- format recommendations: quest, exhibition, app, or an event zone;
- examples of our projects for the tourism industry;
- options for future game development — from updates to new mechanics.
A quick estimate isn't just convenience. It's your competitive advantage: you know the budget in advance, can approve it internally, and secure the best slot in the seasonal campaign. While others are thinking, your guests are already playing.
Leave a request via the form on the website — and tomorrow you'll receive an estimate that lets you lock in the terms and launch the project on schedule. No long approvals: just specific details and a clear action plan.